Illumination designator for lamps



March 27, 1934. p s 1,952,938

ILLUMINATION DESIGNATOR FOR LAMPS Filed Sept. 28, 1931 INVENTOR.

]:I F FHRRISH J, I ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a device for visibly indicating to individuals in the rear of a lamp whether or not the lamp is lit.

5 A further object of this invention is to provide an illumination designator for lamps that may be easily and quickly seen from various points at the rear of the lamp to which it is secured.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a lamp illumination designator that may be easily attached to a head lamp or like of an automotive vehicle without the employment of a skilled mechanic.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a lamp illumination designator that may be quickly attached or detached to a lamp without in any way marring or damaging the lamp.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an illumination designator for head lamps or like that may be stamped from a single sheet of material.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a lamp illumination designator that is economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of my complete invention in use on a lamp with portions of the lamp cut away to more fully illustrate the method of securing the invention to the lamp.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan View of my device and more fully illustrates its construction.

As is well known by all automotive vehicle drivers, it is diiiicult to ascertain when driving at night whether or not both of the head lamps are lit. When driving in the city at night with electric lights casting beams in all directions, it is almost impossible for an operator to tell whether any of his head lamps are lit or not. Such vehicle lighting conditions, when unknown to the operator of the vehicle, promote loss both in lives and property. With my device installed on both head lamps, the operator of the vehicle is informed at all times whether or not one or both of his head lamps are dark.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the nu- 55 meral 10 to designate the shell or body portion of -merely necesssary to loosen the ring 12 the ordinary head lamp. Enclosing the open forward end of the shell 10 is the usual lens 11. This lens is detachably secured and held in position by the detachable head lamp ring 12, which embraces the forward peripheral edge of the shell 10 and overlaps the outer face of the lens 11 as shown in Fig. l.

The numeral 13 designates the usual reflector flange inside the shell 10, which prevents the inward movement of the lens 11 by engaging its inner face near its peripheral edge. Practically all lenses of head lamps now being used and sold to the general public are thicker between the inner diameter of the ring 12 than they are near their periphery. By this arrangement, the ring 12 will engage the outer thinner portion of the lens 11, as shown in Fig. 1. The thickening of the lens between the inner diameter of the ring 12 produces a continuous outwardly extending shoulder 14, which is in close proximity to the inner marginal continuous circular edge of the ring 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

It is between the lens 11 and the ring 12 that I secure my invention and which I will now describe. 8

The numeral 15 designates the central or base 7 portion of my invention. This portion 15 is slightly transversely curved, as shown in Fig. 3, to correspond with an arc of the inner rim of the ring 12. The numeral 16 designates an upwardly extending flange on the rear end of the base portion 15. The numeral 17 designates an upwardly extending reflector on the forward end of the portion 15. This reflector may be of any shape, design, or character so long as it serves the purpose of reflecting light. In the drawing I show its rear reflecting side of panel convex design. By this construction the reflector portion 17 will successfully reflect light to various angles in the rear of the head lamp to which it is secured. The numeral 18 designates a projection on the bottom of the reflector 17 which extends downwardly to a point below the longitudinal plane of the portion 15. The numeral 19 designates a light opening in the portion 15 and directly to the rear of the reflector 17, as shown in Fig. 3.

To attach my device to a head lamp it is and slip the flange 16 under the inner overlapping edge of the ring 12 and adjacent the lens 11, as shown in Fig. 1. By-tightening the ring 12 onto the shell 10 this flange portion 16 will be rigidly clamped and held between the ring 12 and lens 11o 11. As the driver of the vehicle is to the rear of the lamp and slightly above the same, the device should be positioned at the dead center top of the lamp. In this position it will be prevented from downward movement from between the ring 12 and lens 11 by the portion 15 engaging the shoulder 14 of the lens 11.

From the foregoing it will readily be appreciated that my invention may be easily attached or detached from an automotive vehicle head lamp. Rays of light from the head lamp will pass through the opening 19 and illuminate the rear side of the reflector 17. With the rear the design shown in the drawing, it will readily be noted that the same may be stamped from a single sheet of metal or like.

Lamps may be installed with my device at the factory and when such is the case, the portion 15 may be rigidly secured to the retaining jecting rays of light in a given direction and having a lens with a continuous shoulder near its periphery and a lens-retaining ring overlapping the periphery of the lens and terminating short of said shoulder, a one-piece illumination designating device comprising a substantially fiat horizontal base member extending outwardly from said lamp and having an opening in its length for the passage of light, a vertical upwardly extending reflecting member integrally formed on the forward end of said base member and forwardly of the opening in said base memher, a vertically downwardly extending member on the forward end of said base member and forwardly of the opening in said base member, and a comparatively long flange integrally formed on the rear end of said base member having a circular lower marginal edge to engage and con form with said shoulder and an upwardly extending portion for engagement between the lens and lens retaining ring.

DONALD F. PARRISH. 

